The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board argued this week that lockdown measures imposed by governors in states across the country amid the coronavirus did little to save lives during the pandemic.
“GOP governors have faced enormous media pressure to lock down their states in solidarity with Democrats, and some now are getting browbeaten to shut down again amid coronavirus flare-ups,” it said in an editorial Tuesday. “So it’s worth pointing out that states that didn’t lock down this spring kept the virus under control and experienced fewer deaths than most that did.”
Citing a study from the Sentinel, a Kansas-based nonprofit group, the Wall Street Journal reported that per capita COVID-19 fatalities in states that stayed open were on average about 75% lower than those that locked down.
“One reason is that deaths in most states, regardless of whether they locked down, have been concentrated in nursing home facilities and minority communities that have higher rates of underlying health conditions and multigenerational housing,” read the editorial.
Nationwide, several states have seen upticks in new cases, while the single-day death rate from the virus fell to a three-month low on Sunday. U.S. health analysts contest the falling death rate, which comes even as the case count increases, is a result of more young patients testing positive, including the majority of cases involving patients who are asymptomatic.
At the same time, an expanded nationwide testing strategy has led to a boom in more confirmed cases, health officials in several states say.
“If you test more, you will likely pick up more infections,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said over the weekend. “Once you see that the percentage is higher, then you’ve really got to be careful because then you really are seeing additional infections that you weren’t seeing before.”
On Wednesday, NBC News reported the Trump administration is moving to end federal funding and support for coronavirus testing sites at the end of June, something the Wall Street Journal said remains a useful tool in the fight against further flare-ups of the virus.
“Deploying more tests and protective equipment can help shield these vulnerable communities, and citizens can do their part by donning face masks in public indoor locations like supermarkets,” the board wrote. “But governors don’t need to intubate their economies to save lives.”
